Piled high with crispy chicken and crunchy potatoes, this is THE BEST modern twist to a classic Chicken Caesar Salad. From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!

I’ve been seeing Chicken Caesar Salad trending all over social media for a good while now. I mean, why not? It’s tasty, easy to make, and honestly… completely satisfying when you’re having a craving.

My friend PapiEatsCLT is known for trying to find the best Caesar salad wrap around Charlotte… and I really do enjoy his taste testing videos. Maybe I need to share this recipe with him soon so he can make his own wrap at home; this combination is THAT GOOD. All he’d need to do is put it inside a wrap (and I’d suggest searing the outside wrap for optimum yumminess).

LET’S MAKE IT TOGETHER ON THE GRAM!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS CRUNCHY CRISPY CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD:

This all comes together with 7-ingredients (and technically 2 of those are optional).
I’m happy to share that this recipe is gluten free. Thanks to Springer Mountain Farm’s Breaded Chicken Breast Strips. They’re my favorite for easy, crunchy chicken tenders.
Utilizing crispy potato crowns instead of croutons also aids in the gluten free factor. Plus, the flavor switch-up is phenomenal.
Two words: parmesan crisps. Each bowl is covered with a layer of crispy, lacy baked parmesan cheese, which is fun to crack open, and the extra crunch is honestly… “chef’s kiss”.
It’s light and fresh while also being super satisfying and delicious. Making this an all-year-round meal you’ll make on repeat.
Comes together in about 30 minutes, which is right up my alley!

INGREDIENTS FOR THIS UPDATED CLASSIC CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD:

CRUNCHY CHICKEN: 100% hands down, this meal is so much better with crispy, breaded chicken. While you could certainly substitute with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs that have been shredded… you absolutely need to try it with crispy fried chicken too! The chicken strips I used are actually air fried, so you save a little on prep time and calories as well!
CRISPY POTATO CROWNS: Don’t get me wrong, I love me some croutons in my salad… but today I wanted to switch things up a bit. I cook the crowns a little longer than the packaged directions so they’re super, super crispy. They’re such a fabulous addition and don’t get soggy when they’re coated in dressing.
BLACKENING SEASONING: While this is completely optional, I do love the flavor that blackening seasoning adds to the crispy potato crowns and overall salad. It gives you that little bit of zip that has your tastebuds guessing…. “Oh, what’s that?! That’s nice!”. Can’t find blackening seasoning? No problem, try my Sweet Heat Dry Rub here instead!
GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE: This is where I take things up a notch and bake the parmesan to create a parmesan crisp. It’s really easy and makes this dish over the top delicious. Plus, it’s fun to eat. Full directions on how to do this are in the recipe card below.
ROMAINE LETTUCE: This type of lettuce is preferred for Caesar salad, but you can certainly swap this out with whatever kind you enjoy most. No judgement here if you do… you do you, boo.
CAESAR SALAD DRESSING: I went the easy-route and used store bought. However, if you want to make your own I’d say you should totally go for it! As for store bought, my top rated bottled Caesar dressings include: #1 Briannas Home Style Asiago Caesar Dressing, #2 Ken’s Steak House Creamy Caesar Dressing, and #3 Marzetti Supreme Caesar.
FRESHLY CRACKED BLACK PEPPER: I’ll say this is optional… but for me it’s absolutely not. You gotta have black pepper on your Caesar! Fresh cracked is best.

TO MAKE INTO A CAESAR SALAD WRAP YOU’LL ALSO NEED:

Burrito-sized flour tortillas are the way to go. Use whichever one you like most… my personal favorite is the Grande Size Flour Tortillas from La Tortilla Factory. They’re not as big as some other varieties though (like Guerrero Burrito Size, which is my #2 choice) but I do find that they have the best flavor and texture.

HOW TO MAKE THE CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD CHICKEN:

Not only do these taste phenomenal, but my kids absolutely love them too! Adult + Kid Approved = Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner! 😉 Here’s how to cook SMF’s Chicken Strips.

AIR FRYER METHOD: Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Place the frozen strips in the basket or tray, making sure to leave a space in-between pieces. Air fry for 10 – 14 minutes, or until internal temperature has reached 165F. For best results, turn halfway through heating time.

OVEN METHOD: Preheat the oven to 425F with the rack in the center. Line the frozen breast strips on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure to leave some space in-between. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and internal temperature has reached 165F. For best results, turn halfway through heating time.

Keep in mind, all appliances are different so times may vary slightly. After cooking, I allow the strips to cool slightly and then I chop them into smaller bite-sized pieces for the salad.

STORING ANY LEFTOVER CRISPY CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD WITH CRUNCHY POTATOES:

As you can probably guess, this Chicken Caesar Salad is best enjoyed immediately after prepping. If I know I’m going to have leftovers or I want to make some of this dish in advance, here are a few tips for storing.

Only add dressing to the amount of lettuce, chicken, and crispy potatoes that you’re going to consume right away. Otherwise, they will get soggy if they sit in the refrigerator with dressing already on them.
Store any leftover lettuce, chicken, or potatoes in separate containers, refrigerated. Keep the dressing in the bottle it came in, or if you made your own then go ahead and store that separately as well.
The parmesan crisps can be made up to a day in advance. Simply allow them to cool to room temperature and then store them separately in a Ziplock bag or sealed container. These can be kept on the counter or in the refrigerator.
When you’re ready to eat any leftovers, go ahead and warm the air fryer to 375F. Reheat the chicken and potatoes until warmed through. If using the oven, preheat to 400F. The reheating process should only take a few minutes. Then assemble as normal.

MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE:

BLT Inspired Crispy Chicken Sandwich with Lemon Caper Aioli

East Meets West Chinese Crispy Chicken Salad

Easy To Make Crispy Air Fryer Katsu Chicken

Easy Southwestern Chicken Salad Wraps

Crispy Chicken Korean Bird Dogs

Honey Garlic Honey Crunchy Chicken Rice Bowls

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VIEW ALL RECIPES BY CLICKING HERE!

Best Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad with Crunchy Potatoes

Piled high with crispy chicken and crunchy potatoes, this is THE BEST modern twist to a classic Chicken Caesar Salad. From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!

SERVINGS

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

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Ingredients

1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more for serving if desired
2 cups Frozen Potato Crowns, about 30 pieces
2 tsp. Blackening Seasoning, optional
4 Frozen Springer Mountain Farms Chicken Breast Strips
4 cups Romaine Lettuce, chopped
Caesar Dressing, as desired
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper, for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F. Add parmesan to a parchment lined baking sheet and form two big circles. Bake for 10 minutes, or until slightly golden brown. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
At the same time as the oven, preheat the air fryer to 400F. Gently sprinkle the potato crowns with blackening seasoning, if desired. Place them in the air fryer basket or tray, making sure not to over-crowd. Cook for 15 minutes, or until they are super crispy and browned. Set aside on a wire rack to cool.
In the same air fryer, add the frozen strips, making sure to leave a space in-between pieces. Air fry for 10 - 14 minutes, or until internal temperature has reached 165F. For best results, turn halfway through heating time. Cool slightly then cut the chicken into bite sized chunks.
Add the romaine lettuce to a large mixing bowl. Top with the crunchy crowns and crispy chicken chunks. Add more shredded parmesan, if you’d like. Drizzle with desired amount of Caesar dressing and black pepper. Toss to combine.
Divide the salad among two bowls and top each one with a parmesan crisp. Serve immediately, breaking apart the parmesan crisp with a fork.

NOTE:

I cooked the potato crowns in the air fryer at the same time that I made the parmesan crisps in the oven. If you do these steps separately it will add 10 more minutes to your total cooking time.

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This post is sponsored in partnership with Springer Mountain Farms. Per the usual, all opinions here are mine alone and I would never recommend a product or ingredient that I did not immensely enjoy myself. Thank you for supporting the brands that support SliceOfJess.com!